Menu

RP Local Offer

Girlington Primary School Local Authority Led Resourced Provision (LARP) has purpose built, acoustically treated rooms, and specialised technology to support and maximise the learning of deaf pupils. It currently has places for 20 pupils.  Pupils are supported by a specialist and experienced team of Qualified Teachers of the Deaf, Specialist Support Workers and a Deaf Instructor. Girlington Primary School is a fully inclusive setting and as such, deaf pupils are an integral part of the school and opportunities to learn and socialise with mainstream peers is maximised on a daily basis.   

Pupils with a bilateral severe or profound hearing loss attend the RP at Girlington and will have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). If an EHCP is not already in place, then the process of securing this will begin shortly after pupils are accepted into the provision.  

Referral to the provision is made through the Local Authority Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Team.

Staffing in the RP:

LARP Managers:

The LARP is managed by Teacher in Charge who is responsible for:

  • The day to day management and co-ordination of the provision for deaf pupils
  • Ensuring continual support for deaf pupils to maintain their audiology equipment
  • Co-ordinating and assessing deaf pupils’ speech, language and communication skills in conjunction with other relevant professionals and setting targets
  • Writing reports regarding individual children including annual review reports and SEND reports for deaf pupils
  • Co-ordinating and chairing annual review meetings
  • Monitoring the progress of deaf pupils through coordination of continual summative assessments
  • Monitoring and evaluating planning and delivery of teaching of deaf pupils including targeted learning, small group work and inclusion within the mainstream
  • Writing and evaluating pupil passports for deaf pupils
  • Updating provision map for deaf pupils
  • Ensuring that you, as parents, are:
    • Made aware of any concerns regarding your child’s progress.
    • Involved in supporting your child’s development.
    • Involved in evaluating and reviewing their progress towards set targets
    • Encouraged to become involved and support the wider learning experiences of pupils
  • Liaising with other agencies which support audiology, speech and language, SEMH needs and other professionals who may come into school to support deaf pupils’ development.
  • Providing support to teachers and specialist support workers so that they can help enable all children to reach their full potential.
  • Mentoring support staff and carrying out PMR reviews.

Specialist Support Workers:

With direct support and guidance from RP Managers and Teachers of the Deaf, SSWs will:

  • Supervise and use specialist skills, training, knowledge and experience to support deaf and hearing impaired pupils, ensuring their safety and access to learning activities.
  • Provide feedback to pupils in relation to progress and achievement under guidance of the teacher.
  • Set challenging and demanding expectations and promote self-esteem and
  • Understand and maintain specialist equipment such as audiology equipment. Check quality and safety, undertake specialist repairs when possible and refer to appropriate people for check / repair if necessary.
  • Support the use of ICT in learning activities and develop pupils’ competence and independence in its use.
  • Accompany teaching staff and pupils on visits, trips and out of school activities and take responsibility for a group under the supervision of the teacher.
  • Participate in relevant meetings, training and other learning activities and performance development as required.
  • Implement planned supervision of pupils out of lesson times e.g. clubs and extra-curricular activities.
  • Contribute to the overall ethos, work and aims of the school and the Sensory Service.

Specialist Support workers may also have responsibility for:

  • Assisting with the development and implementation of Individual Education Plans, Behaviour Plans and Personal Care programmes.
  • Contribute to and assist with the planning of learning activities, implementation of lessons, and administration of routine tests and undertake marking of pupils work and accurately record achievement/progress, under the guidance of a teacher.
  • Be responsible for maintaining records, information and data, producing analysis and reports as required relating to pupil progress.
  • Liaise with and take responsibility for multi-agency working with relevant professionals under the guidance of a teacher, to support achievement and progress of pupils.

The Deaf Instructor will:

  • Assess the needs of pupils and use detailed knowledge and BSL (British Sign Language) skills to support pupils’ learning.
  • Provide support in classrooms to ensure effective learning and to follow up with additional support to ensure learning is secure.
  • Provide feedback to pupils in relation to progress and achievement.
  • Plan and deliver BSL lessons to pupils in the RP and assess and monitor progress of learning in this area.
  • Monitor and evaluate pupils’ responses to learning activities through observation and planned recording.  Provide objective and accurate feedback and reports as required, to the teacher on pupil achievement, progress and other matters, ensuring the availability of appropriate evidence.
  • Liaise sensitively and effectively with parents/carers as agreed with the teacher within your role/responsibility and participate in feedback sessions/meetings with parents with, or as directed.
  • Work with the teacher in lesson planning, evaluating and adjusting lessons/work plans as appropriate and undertake marking of pupils’ work and accurately record achievement/progress, administer and assess routine tests and invigilate exams/tests.
  • Implement agreed learning activities/teaching programmes, adjusting activities according to pupil responses and individual needs.
  • Determine the need for, prepare and maintain general and specialist equipment and resources.
  • Help pupils to access learning activities through specialist support.
  • Plan and deliver BSL lessons to parents of pupils in the RP.

Grouping for Teaching

  • Main curriculum delivery within the RP with specialist teaching and support from Qualified Teachers of the Deaf and Specialist Support Workers.
  • Regular and ongoing opportunities for 1:1 support focused on specific targets.
  • Daily opportunities for small group work based on identified needs.
  • In class communication and learning support from specialist support staff trained in British Sign Language (BSL).
  • Particular attention to seating, lighting and acoustics will be given.
  • Opportunities to access mainstream provision, usually with specialist support.

Planning, Curriculum and Teaching Methods

  • Daily planning and delivery by a Qualified Teacher of the Deaf with input from SSWs where appropriate.
  • Considerable differentiation and / or modification implemented in most areas of the curriculum.
  • Planning focuses on the language and communication needs of individual pupils and is closely matched to their academic ability.
  • Curriculum plans closely tracks levels of achievement and all targets are individualised, short term and specific using an Assess – Plan – Review approach.
  • Regular access to a Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist, skilled in meeting the needs of deaf and hearing-impaired children.
  • Delivery of specialist curricula for Deaf pupils such as Personal Understanding of Deafness (PUD) / Emotions curriculum.

The Wider Curriculum

Pupils within the RP have access to a wide range of activities and experiences to support their wider development. KS2 pupils are taught to play a brass instrument during a weekly lesson provide by Bradford’s Music and Arts Service. All pupils participate in a weekly signing choir. Pupils also participate in a range of sporting events and activities, both within and outside of the school setting. These offer pupils the opportunity to meet deaf peers and develop their physical, as well as social skills. Pupils take part in events such as music workshops and drama events both within and outside school.

Assessment

  • A clear and precise monitoring system to assess, needs, outcomes, and to inform and monitor support and progress
  • Base line assessment protocols are in place for new RP pupils
  • Assessments are carried out in line with school systems and procedures, at appropriate levels for individual pupils
  • Specialist speech and language assessments are used to monitor progress and set new targets by Qualified Teachers of the Deaf, in collaboration with the Specialist Speech and Language Therapist.
  • Speech audiometry and other specialist tools must be used to assess access to spoken language in collaboration with the Educational Audiologist
  • Modification to the presentation of assessments, where appropriate
  • Assessment by education and non-education professionals as appropriate e.g. Educational Audiologists

Liaising with other Professionals:

Staff in the RP maintain close links with other professionals including staff at the Yorkshire Auditory Implant Service (YAIS), Educational Audiologists, Speech and Language Therapists, SEND Support Services and Deaf CAMHS, in order to coordinate a multi-agency approach.

Parental Involvement:

Staff within the RP maintain close, regular contact with parents and consider the partnership between home and school to be fundamental to the needs and development of each child and to the inclusion of parental choice and wishes. As well as attendance at parents’ evenings and annual reviews, parents are encouraged to attend regular drop-in sessions and workshops. Parents are also offered BSL classes delivered by the Deaf Instructor. Parents are also invited to attend concerts and performances which pupils participate in. Every effort is made to provide first language interpreters for meetings and events.

Parental Involvement Officer:

The Parental Involvement Officer supports this link between home and school, ensuring parents are aware of what is happening in school and with their child. She will also provide support to parents with matters relating their child’s needs including support to complete paper work and forms or sign posting parents to where they might find this support.

For more information about wider SEND provision at Girlington Primary School, please see the Local Offer on the school website.